"Oh, Jessica! Oh, Jessica. Sorry, sorry."

We take so much for granted.

I do it.  We all do.  Even though I live here in Uganda.  I still forget how difficult things are for other people.  I forget how my neighbors live.

On Thursday, around 4:00 a storm came through.  It rained and poured.  It flooded everything.

This was also the time that Lena and Steven should be going home.  Lena and Steven have special needs and cannot walk.

Lena and Anna (Mama Lena)

We have a  wheel-chair for Lena that her mother pushes back and forth to school each day.  We have a bike with a chair attached for Steven that his mother rides each day.

Mama Steven and his bike

On a normal day, this is a challenge.  Just after a rain - almost impossible.

So, we arranged for a driver to take them home with the chair and bike in the back of the truck.  Anna and I rode along.

We rode for about 15 minutes just to reach the first house!

Steven and his mother

Lena, Anna and another child (in pink and purple)

15 minutes riding and bouncing in the muddy foot paths.  - No road - we were going off road the entire time.

This like is not supposed to be there!

Anna loves an adventure.

That lake is not supposed to be in their front yard!

Mama Lena was so thankful - she hugged me and thanked me several times.

The truck would not go further, so Joshua pushed.

No wheel chair ramps here.

Then, we started to leave, to go to Steven's house.  We got stuck!

All the locals came out to laugh, push and help us out.

After much digging, and me getting sprayed by mud.  We got out.  

As I was standing there wiping mud off me, Mama Lena was wiping my arm and saying in a high voice, "Oh, Jessica!  Oh, Jessica!  Sorry, sorry"  (she doesn't speak much English but she wanted me to know she was very sorry)

But then, we were quickly stuck again, in a different place!

Again, laughing, pushing and digging got us free.

Mud on my forehead!

We eventually made it to Steven's house (no more mishaps).

As we were riding home, I imagined trying to push that wheelchair through the mud and dirt and bushes each day.  I can't imagine it.  It was a good reminder of how blessed I am.

The next day, Mama Lena came up to me again and motioned to my clothes and said "Sorry." and then thanked me and hugged me once more - so much gratitude!

Mud on my neck.  Everywhere!